Balloon catheters and methods for treating paranasal sinuses

1. A method of directly treating a patient's maxillary sinus having an obstructed or narrowed maxillary ostium, the method comprising:

pushing a distal segment of a balloon catheter through the obstructed or narrowed maxillary ostium;

inflating a balloon of the balloon catheter in the obstructed or narrowed maxillary ostium to enlarge the ostium without excising bone or mucosa from the ostium, the ostium being enlarged when the balloon is inflated; and

removing the balloon catheter from the now enlarged ostium, which remains enlarged for a period of time effective to treat the obstructed or narrowed ostium after the balloon catheter is removed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the obstructed or narrowed maxillary ostium is naturally occurring and does not have scar tissue.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

shifting a proximal segment of the balloon catheter to position the distal segment to enter from the patient's nasal cavity into the maxillary ostium.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rotating a proximal segment of the balloon catheter to position the distal segment to enter from the patient's nasal cavity into the maxillary ostium.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the balloon catheter has sufficient stiffness and column strength that the distal segment can be pushed through the maxillary ostium.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal segment of the balloon catheter is at an angle of seventy degrees to one hundred fifteen degrees to a proximal segment of the balloon catheter at inflation of the balloon.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the angle is ninety degrees.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting the balloon catheter such that the distal segment with the balloon deflated will fit snugly with the obstructed or narrowed maxillary ostium.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

medially retracting the patient's middle turbinate.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing part of the patient's uncinate process.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

using cutting forceps to remove part of the patient's uncinate process.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

inflating the balloon to nine atmospheres.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

deflating the balloon; repositioning the balloon; and inflating the balloon.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

inflating the balloon of the balloon catheter in an infundibulum.